Computer case assembly and a method for carrying a computer

ABSTRACT

A computer case  10  which allows a computer, such as a notebook computer  50,  to be removably received and stored in an aesthetically pleasing manner and in a manner which allows the computer  50  and additional materials to be easily transported for later use.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a case assembly and a methodfor carrying a computer and more particularly to a computer caseassembly which is adapted to selectively house a computer, such as anotebook or laptop type computer, in a secure, cost effective, andaesthetically pleasing manner while allowing a computer to be securelyand efficiently carried.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Computers, such as notebook or laptop type computers, have become quitepopular and are adapted to be selectively carried and/or otherwiseportably transported by a user for use in a variety of venues.

While such portable computers have proliferated, they are relativelybulky to carry often and respectively require a brief case or other typeof a relatively bulky case in order to allow a user to efficiently carryadditional papers, writing instruments and materials which are oftenused in combination with the computer, and to protect the computer. Suchcases are generally anesthetically pleasing and not very practically foruse within buildings or connected structures. For example, employeestraveling to and from meeting which are located on various floors of askyscraper type building often will not use such a computer carryingcase due to the unaesthetic and bulky nature of these cases. Further,due to relative high cost and relatively fragility of these notebookcomputers it is very desirable to protect them as they are carriedand/or used.

There is therefore a need for a new and improved computer carrying casewhich is aesthetically pleasing and which allows a personal or notebooktype computer to be easily and securely and protectively carried, withina large building or series of building and to substantially any othertype of venue, in an efficient and cost effective manner and whichfurther allows other type of material and implements to be securelycarried within the case. The present invention provides these and manyother benefits in a new and novel manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a first non-limiting object of the present invention to provide acomputer carrying case which overcomes some or all of the previouslydelineated drawbacks of prior computer carrying cases, such as but notlimited to those which have been delineated above.

It is a second non-limiting object of the present invention to provide acomputer carrying case which overcomes some or all of the previouslydelineated drawbacks of prior computer carrying cases such as thosewhich have been delineated above and which allows a computer to beselectively transported in an efficient, cost effective, andaesthetically pleasing manner.

It is a third non-limiting object of the present invention to provide amethod for carrying a computer which overcomes some or all of thepreviously delineated drawbacks of prior techniques, such as those whichhave been delineated above and which allows a computer to be carried inan efficient, cost effective, and aesthetically pleasing manner.

According to a first non-limiting aspect of the present invention, acomputer case assembly is provided and includes a selectively foldablebody which is movable from a first fully extended and substantially flatposition to a folded position in which a first portion of saidselectively foldable body overlays a second portion of said selectivelyfoldable body; a plurality of pockets which are operatively deployedupon the second portion; and a flexible band which is deployed upon thesecond portion in close proximity to the first portion.

According to a second non-limiting aspect of the present invention, acomputer carrying case is provided and includes a substantiallyrectangular body having a pair of first and second flat portions whicheach respectively terminate into a third end portion and whichrespectively form a first and a second crease with the third end portionand wherein each of the first second, and third portions have asubstantially identical length; a band which is operatively deployedupon the first portion and which has a length which his equal to thelength of the first, second, and third portions and which selectivelymovable form a first retracted position to a second extended position,thereby allowing a computer to be placed between the band and the firstportion; a pair of substantially identical pocket portions which areoperatively deployed upon the first portion opposite the band and whichrespectively receive unique portions of a computer and which cooperatewith the band to securely and selectively fix a computer upon the firstportion.

According to a third non-limiting aspect of the present invention, amethod for carrying a computer is provided and includes the steps ofcreating a case having first, second, and third substantially flatportions, wherein the third portion is creasably positioned between thefirst and second portions; forming pockets within the first portion;forming a band within the first portion; placing a computer upon thefirst portion and within the pockets and under the band; overlaying thefirst portion by said second portion; and carrying the case with thethird portion being directed to the ground.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from a reading of the detaileddescription of the preferred embodiment of the invention, including thesubjoined claims, and by reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of the inner portion of a computer case assemblywhich is made in accordance with the teachings of the preferredembodiment of the invention and shown in a selective opened position.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the computer case assembly which is shown inFIG. 1 in a selective closed position.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the computer case assembly which is shown inFIG. 2 and taken in the direction of view arrow “3”.

FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of view arrow “4” of thecomputer carrying case shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the computer case assembly which isshown in FIGS. 1-4 with a computer operatively deployed within theassembly.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a person carrying the computer caseassembly which is shown in FIGS. 1-5.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the case assembly which is shown in FIG. 1 andtaken in the direction of view arrow “7”.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIGS. 1-7, there is shown a computer case assembly 10which is made in accordance with the teachings of the preferredembodiment of the invention.

As shown, computer case assembly 10 includes a selectively foldable body12 having a generally flat first portion 16, a second generally flatsecond portion 18, and a third generally flat portion 20 which isintegrally positioned between and integrally terminates into the firstportion 16 and the second portion 18. Particularly, each of the portions16, 18, and 20 have respectively identical lengths 22 and portions 16,18 have identical widths 21.The third portion 20 has a first crease 24,a second crease 26, and a third crease 27. The creases 24, 26, 27, allowthe second portion 18 to selectively overlay the first portion 16 in themanner shown, by way of example and without limitation, in FIG. 4.

Further, the case assembly 10 includes a flexible band 30 which issecured to the first portion 16 at ends 40, 42 (such securing may beaccomplished by the use of staples, pins, or some other type offasteners). The band 30 is linearly coextensive to creases 26, 24, 27and may be constructed of an elastic material. Accordingly, the band 30is selectively movabale from a first retracted position which is shownin FIG. 1 and in which the band 30 lies against the first portion 16 andabuts crease 27, to an extended position in which the band 30 is movedaway from the first portion 16. In this selective extended position, asis perhaps shown best in FIG. 5 the band 30 may overlay a computer 50,(such as a notebook or laptop type computer)at a position between thescreen 119 and the keyboard 51, thereby securing the computer 50 againstthe generally flat first portion 16.

The case assembly 10 further includes substantially identical andgenerally flexible pockets 60, 62 which are remotely deployed upon thefirst portion 16 at an end opposite of band 30 and which are operativelyadapted to receive opposed corners of the computer 50, therebycooperating with the band 30 to secure a computer, such as computer 50against the first portion 16 and within the assembly 10. The corners ofthe computer 50 which are respectively received by the pockets 60, 62are those remotely positioned from the screen 119 and the keyboard 51.As shown best in FIG. 5, the contained computer 50 is operable whendeployed within the assembly 10. That is, when selectively deployedwithin assembly 10, the keyboard portion 51 of the computer 50 isexposed and a user, such as user 100, may utilize the keyboard 51 andthe screen 119 is also viewable.

As shown best in FIG. 6, once the computer 50 is detachably but fixedlyplaced upon the portion 16, the screen 119 may be lowered against thekeyboard 51 and the portion 14 may selectively overlay the portion 12,thereby cooperating with the portion 12 to protect the computer 50 whilesecurely placing the computer 50 within the case assembly 10 andproviding an aesthetically pleasing overall appearance.

Further, deployed upon portion 20 is a flexible loop 103 having adiameter which is substantially similar to the diameter of a writinginstrument 105, such as a Bic® type ball point pen. The writinginstrument 105 may be selectively inserted into the loop 103 for storagewithin assembly 10 and removed later for use.

In this manner, the case assembly 10 concomitantly allows the writinginstrument 105 to be securely carried along with the computer 50 in asafe and secure manner. A second pouch 107 is formed upon portion 18 toallow paper and other material to be stored and then selectively removedfrom the pouch 107.

In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the computer caseassembly 10 is carried with the outside surface 110 of portion 20 heldin the palm of a hand of user 100, such as hand 400 of FIG. 7, whilebeing pointed to the ground 117. In this manner, the band 30 and pockets60, 62 cooperatively prevent the computer 50 from slipping out of thecase assembly 10.

After the computer 50 is carried in the case assembly 10 to a desiredvenue and when it is desired to utilize the stored computer 50, theoutside portion surface 120 of the portion 16 is placed upon a flatworking surface, such as a table 300 and the portion 18 is moved away orremote from portion 16 (see FIG. 5), thereby allowing the computer 50 tobe utilized (e.g., allowing the screen 119 of the computer 50 to bemoved to an operative position while operatively exposing keyboard 51).

It is to be understood that the present inventions are not limited tothe exact construction or methodology which has been illustrated anddescribed above, but that various modifications and improvements may bemade to these inventions without departing from the spirit and the scopeof the inventions as are more fully delineated in the following claims.

1) A computer case assembly comprising a selectively foldable body whichis movable from a first fully extended and substantially flat positionto a folded position in which a first portion of said selectivelyfoldable body overlays a second portion of said selectively foldablebody; a plurality of pockets which are operatively deployed upon saidsecond portion; and a flexible band which is deployed upon said secondportion in close proximity to said first portion. 2) The computer caseof claim 1 further including a pouch which is formed upon said firstportion. 3) The computer case of claim 1 further including a loopportion which is deployed upon a third portion which is resident betweensaid first and said second portions and which has a diameter which issubstantially similar to the diameter of a writing instrument. 4) Acomputer carrying case comprising a substantially rectangular bodyhaving a pair of first and second flat portions which each respectivelyterminate into a third end portion and which respectively form a firstand a second crease with said third end portion and wherein each of saidfirst, second, and third portions have a substantially identical length;a band which is operatively deployed upon said first portion and whichhas a length which his equal to said length of said first, second, andthird portions and which selectively movable form a first retractedposition to a second extended position, thereby allowing a computer tobe placed between said band and said first portion; a pair ofsubstantially identical pocket portions which are operatively deployedupon said first portion opposite said band and which respectivelyreceive unique portions of a computer and which cooperate with said bandto securely and selectively fix a computer upon said first portion. 5)The computer carrying case of claim 4 further comprising a loop which isdeployed upon said third portion. 6) A method for carrying a computercomprising the steps of creating a case having first, second, and thirdsubstantially flat portions, wherein said third portion is creasablypositioned between said first and second portions; forming pocketswithin said first portion; forming a band within said first portion;placing a computer upon said first portion and within said pockets andunder said band; overlaying said first portion by said second portion;and carrying said case with said third portion being directed to theground.